Surf the Arctic

The idea of an extreme surfing adventure hardly produces images of the Northern Lights or snow-covered landscapes. Then again, Chris Burkard is hardly interested in sentiments such as usual or ordinary.

CNN’s Frances Cha spoke with the surf photographer about his latest endeavor, photographing surfers with the nerve to ride Norwegian waves, all for a film entitled Arctic Swells – Surfing the Ends of the Earth.

It’s an apt title when you consider this remote destination is up there among the least likely places you might find a wetsuit and surfboards. Thankfully, there are those adventurous enough to take the time to seek out these breathtaking spots, garnering the following CNN video that serves as a glimpse at Burkard’s work.

In an odd twist, the video is both insane and serene, coupling the madness that is diving into frigid waters with the tranquility of a desolate beach.

In speaking with Cha, the 28-year-old photographer is careful to point out that searching for extreme surfing shots isn’t always about the size of a wave: “I feel that places with extreme waves make for the best stories, which is why I'll continue to chase not just extreme waves but also extreme landscapes in the remote corners of the world.”

And when finding remote areas of the world is your beat, you can expect to live out of a suitcase. Burkard explains that he travels an astonishing six to eight months a year, and not all of it is cozy or comfortable.

If the idea of surfing amid icy conditions crossed the transom of your mind, be prepared for weather hell bent on beating you.

Burkard details the initial throes of a tough shoot in Norway: “When we first arrived on the beach, the waves were hardly visible because of the storm — as we opened our doors the chill of the wind, hail and snow spread up our bodies and it felt like our core temperature dropped 20 degrees in a matter of seconds.”

The photographer goes on to say that the shoot only lasted 40 grueling minutes because, “the guys could barely drop into waves with the snow and hail blowing against their faces. They said it was impossible to even open their eyes on some of the waves and were essentially surfing blind.”

We leave it up to the reader to decide if it was all worth it. From where we are sitting, there is just one thing that comes to the mind when viewing some of these images. Burkard has a way of capturing the unrelenting cold an awe-inspiring background, creating some truly spectacular images.